Putin: Russia does not reject negotiations with Ukraine

(Patria) - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the African initiative could be the basis for peace in Ukraine, but that Ukrainian attacks are hindering its realization, Reuters reports.

"There are provisions of this peace initiative that are being implemented," he said.

"But there are things that are difficult or impossible to implement," he added.

Reuters reported in June that African mediation in the conflict could begin with confidence-building measures, followed by a ceasefire agreement, and then negotiations between Russia and the West.

Putin said that one of the points of the initiative is a ceasefire.

"But the Ukrainian army is on the offensive, they are attacking, they are carrying out a large-scale strategic offensive operation... We cannot cease fire when we are being attacked," he said.

When asked about starting peace negotiations, he said: "We have not rejected them... For this process to begin, there needs to be agreement from both sides."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected the idea of a ceasefire that would allow Russia to control almost a fifth of his country and give its forces time to regroup after 17 difficult months of war.